Apparatus for coating liquids onto core pieces

Abstract

An apparatus for batch coating liquid onto core pieces of particulate matter said apparatus having a processing mode and a discharge mode, and comprising a rotatable drum having a substantially right cylindrical shape, a horizontally disposed longitudinal axis, an interior surface, an exterior surface, a loading end and a discharge end, a loading opening at said loading end and a discharge opening at said discharge end, and farther having a frame for supporting said drum, drive means for rotating said drum about its longitudinal axis in a processing direction and oppositely in a discharge direction, at least one nozzle for introducing a spray pattern of liquid or gas into the drum, and a plurality of vanes affixed to the interior surface of said drum, said vanes configured to move the core pieces toward the loading end of said drum during processing and to produce a continuous cascade of core pieces over said vanes and into the spray pattern.

What is claimed as invention is:  
     
       1. An apparatus for batch coating liquids onto core pieces of particulate product, said apparatus having a processing mode and a discharge mode, said apparatus comprising: 
       a rotatable drum having a substantially cylindrical shape, and further having a horizontally disposed longitudinal axis, an interior surface, an exterior surface, a loading end and a discharge end, a loading opening at said loading end, and a discharge opening at said discharge end;  
       a first flat end plate defining said loading end of said drum;  
       a second flat end plate defining said discharge end of said drum;  
       a frame for supporting said drum;  
       drive means for rotating said drum about its longitudinal axis in a processing direction and oppositely in a discharge direction;  
       a cryogenic spray nozzle for introducing a cryogenic gas or liquid into said drum during processing;  
       a coating material nozzle for introducing liquid coating material into said drum during processing; and  
       a vane system affixed to the interior surface of said drum, said vane system comprising:  
       a plurality of variable-pitch segmented vanes substantially evenly spaced apart and spanning the entire length of said drum from said loading end to said discharge end; and  
       a plurality of spreader vanes;  
       characterized in that said vane system moves the core pieces of particulate product toward the loading end of said drum during processing and produces a continuous cascade of core pieces over said vanes and into the spray pattern of cryogenic material introduced by said at least one cryogenic nozzle, and wherein the particulate matter in bulk is urged to flow toward the discharge end when said apparatus is operated in the discharge mode.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein said vane system includes three equidistantly separated variable-pitch segmented vanes, each of said variable-pitch segmented vanes comprising: 
       first through fifth vane segments affixed to the interior cylindrical wall of the drum so as to be essentially perpendicular to a tangent drawn at the intersection of the segment and the interior wall, each of said vane segments having a substantially planar surface, each of said vane segments having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being closer to said first end plate than said distal end, said first vane segment having a proximal end joining the distal end of second vane segment, which has a proximal end that joins the distal end of said third vane segment, which has a proximal end joining the distal end of said fourth vane segment, which has a proximal end joining the terminal end of said fifth vane segment.  
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim  2 , wherein said vane system further includes: 
       three equidistantly separated spreader vanes, each spreader vane being located intermediate two of said variable-pitch segmented vanes, each of said spreader vanes having a first and a second spreader vane segment; and  
       a discharge trough formed by the intersection of a portion of second vane segment and a discharge flap which extends distally and outwardly from its connection and intersection with said second vane segment to project slightly out from said discharge opening.  
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim  3 , wherein each variable-pitch segmented vane is connected to said second end plate at said distal end of said first vane segment and to said second end plate at said distal end of said fifth vane segment, and wherein said third vane segment tapers continually from its distal to its proximal end, said fourth vane segment tapers continually from its distal to its proximal end, said fifth vane segment has no taper and terminates at its distal end at said first end plate, and wherein said fifth vane segment includes a triangular flap that extends outwardly and downwardly from fifth vane segment and induces the initial movement of bulk particulate product toward said discharge end when said drum is rotated in the discharge direction. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein said drive means comprises at least one motor powered drive wheel. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein said first and second end plates each have a circumference extending beyond said exterior surface of said drum and a rim integrally formed at the circumference for engagement with said at least one drive wheel. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim  1 , further including: 
       a loading door for covering said loading opening and having an open and a closed position, said loading door operatively connected to said frame through a rotary union assembly;  
       a discharge door for covering said discharge opening, said discharge door pivotally connected to said frame; and  
       first and second door opening means for mechanically opening and closing said loading door and said discharge door, respectively.  
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim  1 , further including a gas outlet pipe for discharging cryogenic gas. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim  7  wherein said nozzles are mounted through said loading door and extend into the interior of said drum when said loading door is in the closed position. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim  1  wherein said first and second nozzles have swiveling nozzle heads.